SB 249 
I.C25 
Copy 2 



Metal Edge, Inc. 2006 RAT. 



SB 249 
.C25 
Copy 2 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 526 

Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry 
WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



August 28, 1918 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON 

CULTURE IN LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS 

AND NORTH CAROLINA 



By 



P. V. CARDON, Assistant Agronomist 



CONTENTS 



Page 

Introduction 1 

Localities Where Experiments Were 

Made o... 3 

Methods of Procedure 4 

Selection of Cooperators 4 

Plan of the Experiments 5 

Thinning Single-Stalk Rows ... 5 

Recording the Yields 5 



Page 

Results Obtained C 

Yields of Seed Cotton 26 

Yield and Quality of Lint 27 

Lint Percentages 28 

Relative Abundance of Lint . . 28 

Grade and Length of Lint ... 29 

Summary 30 




WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1918 



Monograph 



^f* n 



THE RESULTS presented in this report were obtained 
in 1915 under an informal cooperative agreement 
between the Office of Acclimatization and Adaptation of 
Crop Plants, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, and the 
Office of Extension Work in the South, of the States Rela- 
tions Service. 

The writer wishes to acknowledge the cordial cooperation 
of the various State, district, and county agents of the 
last-named office and the assistance rendered by the many 
farmers who were interested in the experiments. 



'Sk Of P. 
SEP 12 1918 






UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 




BULLETIN No. 526 



Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry 
WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief 




SU^"^~^U 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



August 28, 1918 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON 
CULTURE IN LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, AND 
NORTH CAROLINA. 

By P. V. Cardon, 
Assistant Agronomist, Office of Crop Acclimatization. 



CONTENTS. 



Importance of single-stalk cotton culture . . 

Localities where experiments were made 

Methods of procedure 

Selection of cooperators 

Plan of the experiments 

Thiinning single-stalk rows 

Recording the yields 



Results obtained 

Yields of seed cotton 

Yield and quality of lint 

Lint percentages , 

Relative abundance of lint. 
Grade and length of lint. . . 



5 Summary . 



Page. 
6 
6 
27 
28 
28 
29 
30 



IMPORTANCE OF SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 

Single-stalk cotton culture was first announced as a new system 
in 1913, and at that time also its principles were outlined.^ Since 
that year three additional pubhcations ^ have been issued, which 
present results obtained in 1913 and 1914 from experiments with the 
system in Virginia, South Carolina, and Texas. The purpose of this 
report is to present the results obtained in 1915 from a series of 
experiments conducted in the States of Louisiana, Arkansas, and 
North Carolina. 

The single-stalk system is ba§ed on the recognition of a fact that 
has not been taken into practical account in most of the cultural 

» Cook, O. F. A new system of cotton culture. U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Cir. 115, p. 15-22, 
1913. 

2 Cook, O. F. A new system of cotton culture and its application. U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 601, 
12 p., 2 fig, 1914. 

Cook, O. F. Single-stalk cotton culture. U. S. Dept Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. [Misc. Pub.] 1130, 11 
p., 12 fig. 1914. 

Meade, R. M. Single-stalk cotton culture at San Antonio. U. S. Dept, Agr. Bui. 279, 20 p., 3 fig., 6 pi. 
1915. 

76103°— IS-BuJl. 526 1 



9, BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

experiments that have been made with cotton, namely, that the 
cotton plant has two distinct kinds of branches, vegetative and 
fruiting, and that the relative growth of these can be controlled by 
cultural methods. Single-stalk cotton culture differs from systems 
usually employed in two essential features, namely, the time of thin- 
ning and the spacing of plants in the row. Wliere the usual methods 
involve thinning the seedlings soon after complete germination and 
spacing to distances varying with the locality from 12 to 30 or more 
inches, single-stalk culture involves later thinning and closer spac- 
ing, down to 6 inches, or even less under some conditions. 

The purpose of the later tliinning is to suppress the development 
of vegetative branches, which usually are produced at the lower nodes 
of the main stalk. If cotton plants are left close together in the row 
during the early stages of their growth, few vegetative branches are 
Ukely to develop, for the buds at the lower nodes of the main stalks 
remain dormant, and only fruiting branches appear at the upper 
nodes. So in applying single-stalk culture, thinning is delayed until 
after the suppression of vegetative branches has been accomplished 
and until fruiting branches are expected to appear. Then the plants 
are spaced only far enough apart to allow for the normal develop- 
ment of the fruiting branches. The cUstance at which single-stalk 
plants may be spaced to advantage wiU depend upon local conditions, 
differing with soil and climate and the variety used, but, o^^dng to 
their narrow, erect form the plants may be left much closer together 
than usual without danger of injurious crowding. In fact, single- 
stalk rows usually are less crowded than those in winch the plants, 
thinned early and wide spaced, have been allowed to develop fully 
their long basal Umbs, which often equal or even exceed in size the 
main stalk of the plant. 

0^ving to the suppression of excessive vegetative growth on single- 
stalk plants, they usually reach maturity in a shorter time than the 
more bushy plants. While fewer bolls per plant may be produced, 
single-stalk rows usually contain a greater total number of bolls and 
hence give larger row yields than rows grown by the usual systems of 
culture. Another important feature of single-stalk culture is that, 
where later tliinning is practiced, greater protection is afforded 
against damage from inclement weather or other injuries to wliich 
the seedhngs are subject, particularly leaf-cut or tomosis.* An addi- 
tional advantage of later thinning hes in the opportunity to take out 
weak or injured plants when the thinning is done, so that only normal 
individuals are left, a condition which increases the yield and earli- 
ness of the crop. 

1 Cook, O. F. Leaf-cut, or tomosis, a disorder of cotton seedlings. In U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plantlndus. 
Cir. 120, p. 29-34, 1 fig. 1913. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTTJEE. 3 

The success attained in early experiments with single-stalk culture 
led to a belief that it should prove advantageous under a variety of 
conditions existing in the cotton belt. The idea of suppressing the 
vegetative branches was first developed and apphed in connection 
with the production of Egyptian cotton in the Southwest, where it 
proved to be of distinct value in checking the rank growth of the 
plants, which for a time threatened the success of the industry.* 
Later, at Norfolk, Va., where the season is relatively short, single- 
stalk culture gave significantly larger and distinctly earHer yields 
than the older methods with which it was compared. Similar results 
have since been obtained in South Carolina with both Sea Island and 
Upland cotton, and also in Texas, where the most striking advantages 
have been shown under extreme conditions both of drought and of 
weevil infestation. These early experiments showed that the system 
could be used to advantage under a very wide range of conditions, 
but a large amount of experimental work still remains to be done in 
order to determine how to secure the best results with the system 
under aii}'- given combination of local conditions of soil, season, and 
variety of cotton. 

The results of these experiments indicate that single-stalk culture 
may be profitably appUed under a wide range of natural conditions, 
but definite recommendations can not be made for all localities, as 
it is recognized that a thorough knowledge of local conditions and 
familiarity with the new system are essential to its successful appli- 
cation. It is not expected that experiments with the new system 
will show advantages under aU conditions, and in some instances 
unfavorable results may be secured, as has been recorded by the 
Bureau of Entomology in connection with tests conducted by that 
Bureau in Louisiana in 1915. Such cases may enable the experi- 
menter to understand the nature and practical limitations of the 
system and to determine under what conditions of climate, soil, etc., 
it may be a desirable method for the cotton grower to adopt. 

LOCALITIES WHERE EXPERIMENTS WERE MADE. 

The present experiments were located in the States of Louisiana, 
Arkansas, and North Carolina. The parishes and counties in which 
the work was done, the farmers conducting the experiments, their 
post-office addresses, and the agents cooperating are hsted in Table I. 

1 For a general statement of the cultural difficulties encountered and the means employed in surmount- 
ing them, see Scofleld, 0. S., Kearney, T. H., Brand, C. J., Cook, O. F., and Swingle, W. T., Community 
production of Egyptian cotton in the United States, U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 332, 30 p. 1910. 



4 BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

Table I. — List of localities where experiments in single-stalk cotton culture were 
conducted in 1915, showing cooperators therein. 



state and parish or county. 


Farmer. 


Address. 


County agent. 


Louisiana: 

I'ointe Coupee 


John Hebert 


Ventress 




Do 


Alfred Robillard 


do 


Do 


Madison 


Killamey Plantation 

R. K. Boney 




T. I. Watson. 


Do 




Do. 


Do 


R.C.Webb 


Delta Point 

Benton 


Do 




Essie Jackson 


E. S. Burt. 


Do . . 


W. B. Wilboiu-n 


.. .do 


Do. 


Caddo 


C. C. Herndon 


Shreveport 

Gilliam 


A. J. Scott. 


Do 


William Mercer 


Do. 


Jaclison I 


L. M. Calhoun, jr 


Gilbert 


L. M. Calhoun. 


Arljansas: 

MiUer 


D. R. Akin 


Fouke 


T. F. Lueker. 


Do 


J. E. Tanner 


Texarkana 

...do 


Do. 


Do 


W. B. Latta. 


Do. 


North Carolina: 
Edgecombe . 


W. K. Benson 


Battleboro 

Whitakers 

Conetoe 


Zeno Moore. 


Do 




Do. 


Do 


W. R. Eelton 


Do. 




H. D. Sloan 




MacD. Davis. 


Do.. . 


W. I. Wright 


do 


Do. 


Do 


L. F. Green 


do 


Do. 


Duplin . . 


L. M. Sanderson 


Warsaw 


D.J. Middleton. 




J. L. Roper 


Riverdale 


J. W. Sears. 


Do 


B. C. Peterson. 


Vanceboro 


Do. 









1 Three experiments were conducted at this point. When the farms were visited on August 13, 1915, 
the conditions all appeared favorable to single-stalk culture. However, repeated requests have failed to 
bring any report of the final results obtained, so these experiments can not be included herein. 

In the case of some of the farmers listed in the table, as will be 
pointed out later, relatively poor stands were obtained, for which 
certain allowances must be made. In most of the cases in which the 
stands were uniformly good, a fairly adequate comparison of methods 
was possible; but in others, as will be shown, thinning certainly was 
done too late to secure the best results, and in some instances the 
crop may have been injured in this way. 

METHODS OF PROCEDURE. 

SELECTION OF COOPERATORS. 

The county agents selected from among the farmers in their respective 
counties (or parishes) a few of those who were most interested and 
gave evidence of being able to carry out instructions. They are not 
necessarily the best farmers in their respective counties, but they are 
representative of the better farmers. Their farms are so distributed 
as to afford conditions fairly typical of those over a large part of 
each State, except in the case of Ai-kansas, where flood damage re- 
sulted in the abandonment of most of the experiments that were begun. 
Although the experiments in North Carolina were confined to the 
eastern district, a large part of the total cotton-growing acreage of 
the State is represented. In Louisiana, experiments were conducted 
in sections typical of the larger areas of the State where cotton is 
grown. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 5 

PLAN OF THE EXPERIMENTS. 

The county or parish agents were requested to make arrangements 
with the farmers for conducting the experiments on ordinary fields of 
cotton, planted and cultivated in the usual manner. It was sug- 
gested that a more accurate comparison of the systems of culture 
employed would be possible if the methods were compared in alternate 
rows and in alternate blocks of 4 or 5 rows. To do this it would be nec- 
essary to thin at the usual time each alternate row or block and leave 
the others for later thinning. In several instances this plan was fol- 
lowed, but in some instances comparisons were made only in alternate 
rows. In one case in Louisiana an entire acre, located in the center 
of a field of several acres, was grown by the single-stalk method. 

THINNING SINGLE-STALK ROWS. 

Any intelligent grower, after a little careful observation, can teU 
when to thin; but for the purpose of these experiments it was con- 
sidered more dependable actually to demonstrate the method than 
merely to issue written instructions. Accordmgly, some one familiar 
with the new system directed the thinning of the single-stalk rows in 
most of the experiments. The few farmers whose farms it was im- 
practicable to visit at this time thinned according to written instruc- 
tions, and these experiments were, with one or two exceptions, fairly 
dependable. 

The general advantage obtained m applying smgle-stalk culture is 
the suppression of vegetative branches. The distance at which the 
plants should stand in the row is a secondary consideration and 
must be regulated to suit local conditions, but as a rule the largest 
yields have been obtained with the plants much closer together than 
is now customary. Accordingly, the plants in the single-stalk rows 
of these experiments were spaced 6 to 10 inches, the standard aimed 
at being about 8 inches. The plants as thinned by the farmers in the 
old-method rows were variously spaced, accordmg to usual practice, 
18 to 36 inches. 

RECORDING THE YIELDS. 

The recording of yields in each case was left with the farmer, who 
in some instances was assisted by the county agent. However, it 
was requested that the yield from each row at each picking be re- 
corded separately, and blanks for this purpose were furnished. Row 
yields were reported by 17 of the 21 farmers, while only total yields 
were reported by 4 farmers. The general rule followed was to have 
the picking done from only one row at a time and have the yield of 
that row recorded before proceeding to the next. 



6 BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 

RESULTS OBTAINED. 

As these experiments were largely demonstrational, it is of chief 
importance to consider their economic phases. While more detailed 
reports of the flower counts, boll counts, branch measurements, etc., 
would be of interest from the standpoint of a scientific consideration 
of the factors involved, these data are treated only incidentally in 
this report. The interest at this time lies in knowing whether 
single-stalk culture increased the yield of seed cotton, whether it 
had any effect on the percentage of lint, and whether the quality 
of the lint was in any way affected. 

YIELDS OF SEED COTTON. 

The experiments are herein discussed by States, in the following 

order: Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina. In presenting the 

yields of seed cotton obtained, each experiment is first considered in 

detail, apart from the others. A summary table, bringing together 

the total yields of aU the experiments, is then presented to facihtate 

comparisons. 

Louisiana. 

The nine different experiments conducted in Louisiana, all under 
boll-weevil conditions, are considered by parishes, as follows : Pointe 
Coupee, in the south-central part of the State; Madison, in the north- 
eastern part; Bossier and Caddo, in the northwestern part. 

" POINTE COUPEE PARISH. 

Two experiments were conducted in Pointe Coupee Parish, on the 
farms of Messrs. John Hebert and Alfred Robillard, near Ventress, 
They were about a quarter of a mile apart. Both are located on 
sandy soil, typical of that drained by the Mississippi River in this 
part of Louisiana, and in each instance the cotton was planted on 
low beds in rows 4J feet apart. Unfavorable weather influenced 
both crops early in the season, wet weather during March being 
followed by drought. 

The Hehert experiment. — Mi*. Jolin Hebert planted Sugarloaf cotton 
on May 10, which was considered unusually late in this section. 
He planted at the rate of 25 pounds per acre, which was heavier 
than usual. Germination was good, and an almost ideal stand was 
secured. Smgle-stalk culture was compared with the usual method 
in alternate rows, there being 14 rows of each. 

The old-method rows were thinned on May 25, when the plants, 
3 to 4 mches high and with 2 to 3 leaves, were spaced about 18 
inches apart. When the single-stalk rows were thinned on June 6, 
the plants were 10 to 12 inches high and had 6 to 8 leaves. . They were 
spaced 6 to 10 inches apart. Had the thinning of the single-stalk 
rows been done a little earlier, it is likely that it would have been 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTTJEE. 



better, but, as Table II shows, significant differences in yield were 
obtained. Only the total yields of each picking were reported. 

Table II. — Yields, ohtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton conducted 
in 1915 by John Ilcbert, Ventress, La. 



Spacing system. 



Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 



First 
picking. 



Second 
picking. 



Total. 



Single-stalk rows, thinned June 6 . 
Old-method rows, tliinned May 25 
Difference: 

Pounds 

Per cent 



50S 
3S0 



125 
32.9 



350 
300 



50 
16.7 



855 
080 



175 

25.7 



Table II shows single-stalk culture to have had a marked advan- 
tage from the standpoint of earliness as weU as of total yield. Single- 
stalk culture yielded 32.9 per cent more cotton at the first picking 
than the old method, and 16.7 per cent more at the second picking. 
This gave an increase in total yield of 25.7 per cent. 

Tlie RoVdlard experiment. — Mr. RobiUard planted Bank Account 
cotton on May 6, using only 15 pounds of seed per acre. Only a fair 
stand was obtained; the seedlings were somewhat scattered and in 
some rows there were short skips. This made it impossible to 
apply single-stalk culture to the best advantage. Moreover, Mr. 
Robillard spaced the plants in the single-stalk rows farther apart 
than was recommended. There were 20 rows in the experiment, 
the two systems of culture being compared in alternate rows. 

The old-method rows were thinned on May 19, when the plants 
were 4 to 5 inches high and had 2 to 3 leaves; the single-stalk rows 
were thinned on June 8, when the plants were about 10 inches high 
and had 7 to 8 leaves. The plants in the old-method rows were 
spaced 18 to 24 inches apart, and in single-stalk rows 10 to 12 inches. 

Three pickings were made in this experiment, and the yields are 
reported in Table III. OrJy the total yields of each picking were 
reported. 

Table III. — Yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton conducted 
in 1915 by Alfred RobiUard, Ventress, La. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


.Spacing system. 


First Second 
picking, j picking. 

1 


Third 
picking. 


Total. 


Single-stalk rows, thinned June 8 


■ 
226 1 211 


169 
134 


606 


Old-method rows, thinned May 19 


177 


178 


489 


Difference: 

Pounds . 




51 

28.8 


33 
18.6 


35 
26.1 


117 


Per cent 


23.9 











8 BULLETIN 526, U. S, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

Table III shows that the increase in yield from each picking 
favored single-stalk culture by 28*.8, 18.6, and 26.1 per cent, respec- 
tively, giving a total increase of 23.9 per cent. 

MADISON PARISH. ' 

Three experiments were conducted in Madison Parish, located at 
intervals of about 5 miles between Tallulah and Delta Point, the 
latter bordering on the Mississippi River. Two of these were on sandy 
alluvial soil, and the other was on heavy buckshot soil, both soils 
being fairly representative of types found in that section, known as 
the Delta. In aU cases the cotton was planted on low beds in rows 
about 4 feet apart. Spring conditions were unfavorable generally, 
a wet March being followed by drought through April and May. 

The Killarney experiment. — This experiment was on buckshot soil 
located on the Killarney Plantation, at Mounds. Owing to the poor 
stand obtained from the first planting, a second planting of Simpkins 
cotton was made on April 15, and a fairl}^ good stand was secured. 
On June 3, a few plants from the first planting were visible in the 
single-stalk rows and it was suggested that at thinning time, about 
a week distant, these older plants be removed, since there were 
enough of the younger plants for single-stalk purposes. To leave 
the older ones would have resulted in nonuniformity. Mr. T. I. 
Watson, parish agent, directed this later thinning. 

The old-method rows were thinned on May 22, when the plants, 
4 to 6 inches high and with 3 to 5 leaves, were spaced 18 to 30 inches 
apart. The single-stalk plants, thinned on June 12, when they were 
8 to 10 inches high and had 6 to 8 leaves, were spaced 8 to 10 inches 
apart. 

In practically all of the rows of this experiment there were a few 
skips 3 feet or more in length. Toward the end of the season the 
skips appeared to be greater in the aggregate in the wide-spaced 
rows than in the single-stalk rows, and this was doubtless a factor 
in the increased yields, as often occurs with the new system. Prior 
to the time of thinning the wide-spaced rows, the stand of all the 
rows was so uniform that no appreciable differences in the number 
and length of skips per row were perceptible. Any differences of soil 

1 In reporting the yields from the experiments made in Madison Parish, Parish Agent T. I. Watson 
told of the results of an informal experiment with single-stalk culture conducted on his own initiative by- 
Mr. N. C. Williamson, of Millikin, East Carroll Parish, La. Mr. Williamson applied single-stalk culture 
on 2 acres. Of the yields obtained, Mr. Watson said: • 

I was at his [Williamson's] place on November 24 and secured his yield, which was 1,300 pounds of lint 
from the 2 acres, or an average of fi.JO pounds of lint per acre. His general crop is making about 1,280 
pounds of seed cotton per acre, or 80 bales on 100 acres. Mr. Williamson does not consider that he carried 
out the method fully enough to be recognized as an experiment, but tliinks well of it and says he is going 
to try it out next year. 

Mr. Williamson's crop of 80 bales of lint from 100 acres is equivalent to about 400 pounds of lint per acre. 
Compared with tliis, as reported by Mr. Watson, the 2 acres of cotton grown by the single-stalk method 
yielded an average of 650 pounds of lint. On the basis of these figures, it is seen that single-stalk culture 
yielded 250 pounds of lint per acre, or about 62 per cent, more than the old method. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE, 



9 



or other local conditions would tend to be equalized by the alter- 
nate-row method of comparing the two systems of cultiire. But 
more numerous and wider skips often appear in wide-spaced rows 
on account of injury to seedlings, due to greater exposure in the 
early stages of their development. Fewer plants are injured in 
single-stalk rows because of the mutual protection afforded by the 
thick-standing seedlings, and such injuries as occur are rendered 
unimportant because enough plants remain to thin as desired. This 
feature has been previously pointed out as one of the many advan- 
tages of later thinning.* 

There were 16 rows in the experiment, the two systems being 
compared in alternate rows. Two pickings were made, but the yields 
from only the first picking were reported. These are shown in 
Table IV."^ 

Table IV. — Row yields of the first picking obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment 
with cotton conducted in 1915 on the Killarney Plantation at Mounds, La. 



Row. 


Yield of seed cot- 
ton (pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cot- 
ton (pomids). 


Single 

stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 

stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No. 1 


35 
43 
33 
38 
35 
32 


29 
28 
24 
26 
25 
28 
1 


No. 7 


38 
33 




No. 2 


No. 8 


20 


No 3 


Total .. 




No. 4 


287 
80 
39 


207 


No.5 


Difference 


No.6 


Increase per cent . . 









Table IV shows that in this experiment single-stalk rows yielded 
more cotton in every instance than adjoining old-system rows, the 
total increase for the first picking being 39 per cent. Judging by the 
appearance of the rows in August, when counts of immature bolls 
were made by Mr. Watson and the writer, showing 75 to 100 per cent 
more bolls on the single-stalk rows than on the others, it is believed 
that the difference in yield from the second picking, had it been 
recorded, would have been even greater than 39 per cent. But even 
if it were no greater, or considerably less, the difference in the first 
picking is of marked significance, since the experiment was located 
in a section of maximum boll-weevU infestation, where earliness in 
the cotton crop is of the greatest importance. 

The Boney experiment. — This experiment was on sandy soil located 
on the farm of Mr. R. K. Boney, at Duokport. Half-and-Half cotton 
was planted under fairly desirable conditions (date and rate not 
reported) and a good stand was secured. Defhiite details concerning 
the time of thmning the old-method rows and their condition when 
thinned were not reported. The plants in these rows were spaced, 

1 See Cook, O. F. Leaf-cut, or tomosis, a disorder of cotton seedlings. In U.S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant 
Indus. Cir. 120, p. 2&-34, 1 fig. 1913. 

75103°— 18— Bun . 526 2 



10 



BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



however, 18 to 24 inches in the row. When inspected on June 3, the 
old-method plants were branching normally, indicating fairly early 
thuming. At this time, also, the plants in the single-stalk rows were 
rather too far advanced for the best results, numerous fruiting 
branches being visible. Although thinning was completed within 
the two days following, on June 4 and 5, it is reasonable to assume 
that more significant results would have been obtained had thinning 
been done several days earlier. When thinned the plants were 8 to 
12 inches high with 6 to 8 leaves. With a long-staple variety, this 
would have been more nearly the proper time to thin, but with Half- 
and-Half, a short-staple cotton, it imquestionably was too late. The 
plants were spaced about 8 inches apart. 

There were 12 rows in the experiment, and the two systems of 
culture were compared in alternate rows. Two pickings were made, 
the yields of each row for each picking being as reported in Table V. 

Table V. — Row yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton 
conducted in 1915 on the farm of R. K. Boney, Duckport, La. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. 


Total. 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No. 1 -■ 


38 
34 
38 
40 
35 
42 


34 
35 
34 
30 
35 
38 


16 
31 
29 
27 
24 
22 


24 
24 
22 
21 
21 
28 


54 
65 
67 
67 
59 
64 


58 


No 2 


59 


No 3 


56 


No 4 


61 


No 5 


56 


No. 6 


66 






Total 


227 
21 
10 


206 


149 
9 
6 


140 


376 

30 

9 


346 






Increase I>er cent. . 















Table V shows that the yield per row at each picking favored 
single-stalk culture in all but 4 instances, in one of which the yields 
were identical. In total yield, single-stalk culture led in four of the 
six rows. The total yield at each picking favored single-stalk culture 
by 10 and 6 per cent, respectively, the total increase for both pick- 
ings being 9 per cent. This difference is considerably less than was 
forecast by boll counts made on August 14, when it was found that 
single-stalk rows had from 40 to 50 per cent more bolls than old- 
method rows. The chief reason for this discrepancy between the 
boll counts and the yields reported may lie in the probability that 
more bolls opened earlier on the single-stalk rows than on the old- 
method rows and more of the cotton on the former was lost before 
picking time. This explanation appears the more credible if we 
take into account the fact that varieties of the type used in this ex- 
periment are lacking in stormproof qualities. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON" CULTUBE. 



11 



The Wehh experiment. — Mr. R. C. Webb, of Delta Point, planted 
Money Maker cotton on sandy soil on April 20 at the rate of three pecks 
per acre. The stand secured was poor generally, there being also a 
number of skips in each row. Owing to nonuniformity in germina- 
tion, there were, moreover, plants of various sizes in the single-stalk 
rows at thinning time. The smaller plants were still too young to 
have had their vegetative branches completely suppressed, while the 
larger plants had reached the stage where their fruiting branches 
were being suppressed. Since it was necessary to leave plants of aU 
sizes in the row in order to have the spacing as uniform as possible, 
some allowances should be made in considering the results of the 
experiment. 

There were 30 rows in the experiment and the two systems of cul- 
ture were compared in alternate rows. The old-method rows were 
thinned on May 20, when the plants were 4 to 5 inches high and had 
3 to 4 leaves. The single-stalk rows were thinned on June 6, when the 
plants were 6 to 12 inches high and had 6 to 10 leaves. The plants 
in the old-method rows were spaced 18 to 24 inches apart, while the 
single-stalk plants were spaced at about 8 inches wherever the stand 
permitted such close spacing. 

Two pickings were made, the yields from each row for each picking 
being as shown in Table VI. 

Table VI. — Roto yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton con- 
ducted in 1915 on the farm of R. C. Webb, Delta Point, La. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. 


Total. 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No.l 


13 

9 
18 

9 
13 
11 
14 

8 
13 
13 
14 
14 

8 
18 
18 


13 
18 
19 
13 
14 
18 
18 
14 
13 
18 
14 
13 
18 
13 
13 


32 
25 
23 
23 
32 
20 
16 
14 
16 
16 
17 
15 
16 
15 
15 


24 
18 
22 
21 
20 
18 
16 
15 
20 
15 
14 
12 
18 
15 
14 


45 
34 
41 
32 
45 
31 
30 
22 
29 
29 
31 
29 
24 
33 
33 


37 


No. 2 


36 


No. 3 


41 


No. 4 . 


34 


No. 5 


34 


No. 6 


36 


No. 7 


34 


No. 8 


29 


No. 9 


33 


No. 10 


33 


No. 11 


28 


No. 12 


25 


No. 13 


36 


No. 14 


28 


No. 15... 


27 






Total 


193 


229 
36 
19 


295 
33 
15 


262 


488 


491 


DitTerence 


3 


Increase percent . 








0.6 













Table VI shows a difference of 19 per cent in favor of the old system 
of culture at the first picking. The lower yield of the single-stalk 
rows at this picking doubtless residted, as already explained, 
from the fact that the thinning was done too late in the case of some 



12 



BULLETIN" 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



plants and too early in the case of otjiers in the same row. However, 
as often happens in such cases, the difference was practically offset by 
the yields of the second picking, which favored single-stalk cultiire by 
15 per cent. There was practically no real difference in total yield, 
though the old system had a very slight advantage. This was con- 
trary to what was to be expected, in spite of the poor stand, as counts 
of immature bolls made on August 14 indicated an increase for single- 
stalk culture of 15 to 20 per cent. 



BOSSIER PARISH. 



Two experiments were conducted in Bossier Parish, both in the 
immediate vicinity of Benton. One of these was on the farm of Mr. 
E. S. Burt, parish agent, and was conducted by Essie Jackson, a 
tenant; the other was on the farm of Mr. W. B. Wilbourn. 

The Jackson experiment. — Cotton of the Brown variety was planted 
April 7 on low beds 4 feet apart. Tlie soil, a sandy loam, was in good 
condition and a full stand was obtained. Wet weather prevailed 
during April, followed by dry weather during May, this being unfa- 
vorable to good growth. 

The old-method rows were thinned on May 17, the plants, which 
were 3 to 4 inches high with 4 to 5 leaves, being spaced 18 to 24 
inches apart. The single-stalk rows were not thinned until June 9, 
when the plants, being 10 to 14 inches high with 6 to 10 leaves, were 
spaced about 8 inches apart. 

There were 26 rows in the experiment, and the two systems of culture 
were compared in alternate rows. Two pickings were made. The 
yields of each row for each picking and the total yields are reported 
in Table VII. 

Table VII. — Row yields obtained in a sinqle-stalk culture experiment with cotton 
conducted in 1915 by Essie Jackson on the farm of E. S. Burt, Benton, La. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. 


Total. 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No 1 


26 
30 
26 
26 
25 
28 
28 
23 
28 
23 
28 
23 
22 


30 

28 
28 
26 
25 
28 
28 
24 
28 
23 
28 
18 
24 


15 
15 
15 
15 
20 
15 
15 
15 
20 
15 
15 
10 
10 


10 
10 
15 
20 
15 
15 
10 
15 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 


41 
45 
41 
41 
45 
43 
43 
38 
48 
38 
43 
33 
32 


40 


No. 2 


38 


No 3 


43 


No. 4 


46 


No. 5 


40 


No 6 


43 


No. 7 


38 


No. 8 


39 


No. 9 


38 


No. 10 


33 


No. 11 


38 


No.12 

No. 13 


28 
34 






Total 


336 


338 

2 

0.6 


195 
35 
22 


160 


531 
33 

7 


498 























EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 13 

Table VII shows a slight increase in the total yield from the first 
picking in favor of the old method, though in only 4 of the 13 in- 
stances did old-method rows yield more than single-stalk rows. 
In 7 instances the yields were identical. It is believed that the 
reason for this difference in yield at the first picking may be found 
in the fact that the single-stalk rows were tliinned much later than 
was advisable, some suppression of the lower fruiting branches 
already having taken place. By the time the second picking was 
made this handicap had been overcome and the single-stalk rows 
yielded 22 per cent more cotton than the others, making a total 
increase in yield of 7 per cent. 

An interesting point in regard to the value of single-stalk culture 
under conditions conducive to unusually rank growth was observed 
in connection with tliis experiment. A hogpen once stood near one 
end of several of these rows and the soil here was much richer than 
elsewhere in this field. The cotton plants grew to heights of 5 to 7 
feet and put on a dense foUage. The plants in the early-thinned 
wide-spaced rows threw out long vegetative branches, and when 
nearing maturity these settled to the ground, in many cases breaking 
away from the main stalk and in aU cases obstructing the space 
between the rows. It was difficult also to pick cotton from these 
plants, and owing to its being allowed to touch the ground much of 
the cotton was spoiled. The single-stalk plants, on the other hand, 
stood erect, their fruit weU off the ground and easily accessible. 
Moreover, the space between these rows was left open enough to 
allow cultivation. 

Tlie WiTbourn experiment. — Cotton of the Brown variety was planted 
on April 7 in low beds in rows about 4 feet apart, and a fairly good 
stand was secured. Wet weather prevailed during the remainder 
of April, followed by drought during May, which was not favorable to 
good growth. 

The thinning of the old-method rows was done on May 17, when 
the plants were 3 -to 4 inches high, with 2 to 4 leaves, while the sin- 
gle-stalk rows were not thinned until June 9, when the plants were 
about 8 inches high and had 6 to 8 leaves. The plants in the old- 
method rows were spaced 18 inches apart and those in the single- 
stalk rows 6 to 8 inches. 

There were 40 rows in the experiment and the two systems of 
culture were compared in alternate rows. Only one picking was 
made. The yields obtained from each row are reported in Table 
VIII. 

Table VIII shows that in no instance did single-stalk culture 
yield more than the old method with which it was compared, the 
total increase for the old method being 17 per cent. This is abso- 
lutely the reverse of what was indicated on August 16 by boU counts 



14 



BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



made by Mr. E. S. Burt, agent for J3ossier Parish; Mr. A. J. Scott, 
agent for Caddo Parish; and the writer. Then there were 40 to 5^0 
per cent more bolls on the single-stalk rows and it was confidently 
expected by all present that the yields would vary in about the same 
proportion, favoring single-stalk culture. It is believed that much of 
the cotton on the single-stalk rows had fallen from the bolls before 
picking time, for the crop was not picked until October 26, which 
was unusually late. 

Table VIII. — Row yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment vith cotton 
conducted in 1915 on the farm of W. B. Wilbourn, Benton, La. 



Row. 


Yield of seed-cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Single 
stalls. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. ' 


No. 1 


35 
35 
30 
35 
35 
40 
30 
30 
30 
30 
35 
35 


45 
45 
45 
40 
45 
45 
45 
35 
40 
35 
40 
35 


No. 13 


35 
35 
30 
35 
30 
25 
30 
25 


35 


No.2 


No. 14 

No. 15 

No. 16 

No. 17 


40 


No.3 


40 


No. 4 


35 


No. 5 


40 


No. 6 


No. 18 


30 


No. 7 


No. 19 


40 


No. 8 


No. 20 


25 


No 9 


Total 




No. 10 


615 


780 


No. 11 


Difference 


135 


No. 12 


Increase per cent 




17 











CADDO PARISH. 



Two experiments were conducted in Caddo Parish, one on the 
farm of Mr. C. C. Herndon, near Shreveport, and the other on the 
farm of Mr. William Mercer, at Gilliam, about 20 miles northwest 
from Shreveport. 

While early seasonal conditions in this part of the State were 
more favorable to the normal growth of the crop than in most other 
sections, they were not ideal, in that some drought obtained during 
April and May. 

The Herndon experiment. — This experiment was the only one of 
the series in which single-stalk culture was compared with the usual 
method on an acre basis. The single-stalk acre was located in a 
rather low comer of a field of several acres, and it maintained only 
a fair stand. Moreover, there were several skips in each row. The 
field was planted rather late in April, and dry weather prevented uni- 
form germination. 

There was a difference of only nine days in the time of thuuiing 
the two plats in this experiment. The old-method rows were thinned 
on June 4, when the plants were 3 to 4 inches high and had 2 to 4 
leaves, while the single-stalk rows were thinned on June 13, when 
the plants were 6 to 8 inches high and had 5 to 8 leaves. The 
plants in the former rows were spaced 18 to 24 inches apart and those 
in the latter 6 to 8 inches. 



EXlPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 



15 



The yields reported in Table IX are for the first picking from 10 
representative rows in the single-stalk acre and 10 in an adjoining 
acre. No complete report on the second picking is available. 

TABLr IX. — Row yields of first picking obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment 
with cotton conducted in 1915 on the farm of C. C. Herndon, Shreveport, La. 



Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of .seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No. 1 


13 
11 

12 
10 
12 
12 
13 


11 
10 
12 
11 
12 
10 
9 


No.8 _ 

No. 9 


13 
14 
13 


11 


No. 2 


12 


No. 3 


No. 10 


14 


No. 4 


Total. 




No. 5 


123 

11 

9.8 


112 


No. 6 


Difference 




No. 7 


Increase per cent. . 









Table IX shows that in 6 out of 10 instances greater yields were 
obtained from single-stalk rows. In two instances the yields were 
identical, wliile in two other instances the old-method yield exceeded 
the single-stalk yield by 1 pound per row. The total yield of the 10 
rows favored single-stalk culture by 9.8 per cent. 

The Mercer experiment. — While Mr. William Mercer, of Gilham, 
cooperated in this work on the same basis as other farmers, he was 
left much alone in the conduct of his experiment. It was imprac- 
ticable to visit his field at thinning time, and consequently he 
thinned his cotton according to his interpretation of the general 
instructions offered. At aU times, however, he cooperated with 
Mr. A. J. Scott, county agent. No report of how he planted his 
cotton or the time and method of thinning is available. The only 
data available are given in Table X. 

Table X. — Roto yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton con- 
ducted in 1915 on the farm of William Mercer, Gilliam, La. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 




Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. 


Total. 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No. 1 


12 
10 
9 
9 
10 
10 
10 
10 
9 
10 


9 
10 
10 
10 
10 

9 
10 

9 
10 

9 


2 

22 
12 
12 
2 
22 
22 
2 
2 
2 


22 

22 

2 

22 

22 

2 

2 

2 

22 

2 


14 
32 

21 
21 
12 
32 
32 
12 
11 
12 


31 


No. 2 


32 


No. 3 


12 


No. 4 


32 


No.5 


32 


No.6 


11 


No.7 


12 


No.8 


11 


No. 9 


32 


No. 10 


11 






Total . . 


99 
3 
3 


96 


100 


120 
20 
20 


199 


216 


Difference 


17 


Increase per cent. . 








8 









16 BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 

Table X shows a wide variation in yields from the two systems of 
cultm-e. In the yields from the fu'st picking, single-stalk culture led 
in 4 of the 10 instances. In 3 instances the yields were identical and 
in 3 other instances greater yields were obtained from the old-method 
rows. The total yield from the first picking was slightly (3 per cent) 
in favor of single-stalk cidture. 

In the yields from the second picking, single-stalk culture led in 
only 3 of the 10 instances, while the old method led in 4. In 3 in- 
stances the yields were identical. It is remarkable that the yields 
throughout differed in about the same proportion. The total yield 
of the second picking, however, favored the old method of culture 
by 20 per cent, making an increase of 8 per cent in total yield for this 

method. 

Arkansas. 

Owing to the damage done by early spring floods, most of the experi- 
ments begun in Arkansas were abandoned. The only ones which 
promised any dependable results were located in Miller County, in 
the vicinity of Texarkana, and at Warren, in Bradley County. The 
latter experiment, however, was located in a pecan grove and the 
trees apparently so reduced the supply of moisture in the soil that 
when the drought of August was encountered the cotton plants were 
compelled to shed a large proportion of their squares. This damage, 
combined with apparent weevil damage, made the test practically 
without value. 

MILLER COUNTY. 

The experiments in Miller County were conducted by Messrs. D. K. 
Akin, J. E. Tanner, and W. B. Latta, the first named being located 
about 10 miles south of Texarkana, at Fouke, and the others being 
located in the immediate vicinity of Texarkana. Mr. R. M. Meade, 
of the Bureau of Plant Industry, visited these experimenters early in 
June and directed the thinning of the single-stalk rows. 

The Akin experiment. — Mr. D. R. Akin, of Fouke, planted Lone Star 
cotton on May 20, about 15 days later than usual. Unfortunately, 
only a small amount (12 pounds per acre) of seed was planted, and 
a relatively poor stand resulted. Wet weather occurred immediately 
after planting, and this was followed by drought, which caused the 
smiace soil to bake. At the time of thinning the single-stalk rows 
it was observed that the plants were not standing thick enough to 
insure complete suppression of the vegetative branches, but enough 
had been suppressed to make the test worth carrying out. 

There were 28 rows in the experiment, 8 in which the two systems 
of culture were compared in alternate rows and 20 in which com- 
parisons were made in alternate blocks of 5 rows each. The plants 
in the old-method rows were spaced about 18 inches apart and those 
in the single-stalk rows about 8 inches, wherever the stand per- 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 



17 



mitted. The exact dates of thinning were not reported, but it is 
known that the single-stalk rows were thinned later than the others. 
In reporting the yields obtained, Mr. Akin stated: 

The experiment has not been at all satisfactory to me, owing to several causes: (1) 
I did not plant enough seed to crowd the cotton sufficiently at the start; (2) the cotton 
being late, the continuous rains in August caused an enormous amount of blooms to 
sour and fall off; (3) the boll weevil and boUworms finished what the rain left. 
However, I thought you might be able to get some data from the report. You will 
see I had only one picking, no middle or top crop at all. 

Mr. Akin stated further that rows 21 to 28, inclusive, were on 
much richer soil than the others, and he felt that for this reason 
they were not comparable. The yields from the remaining 18 rows 
are reported in Table XI. The first four rows were in the alternate- 
row test; the remaining five were in a 5-row block of adjoining rows. 

Table XI. — Row yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton con- 
ducted in 1915 by D. R. Akin, Fouke, Ark. 





Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Alternate rows: 
No 1 


13 
13 
13 
14 

14 
11 


9 
10 

9 
10 

9 

12 


5-row block— Continued. 

No.7 


15 
11 


10 


No 2 


No.8 


11 


No 3 


No.9 


10 




Total 






115 
25 
28 


90 


No 6 


Difference 




No. 6 


Increase per cent. . 









Table XI shows that in every instance the alternate-row yields 
favored single-stalk culture, and in every instance but one the block- 
test yields favored this system. The total increase for single-stalk 
culture was 28 per cent. 

The Tanner experiment. — Mr. J. E. Tanner, R. F. D. No. 7, Texar- 
kana, planted 60 pounds of Triumph seed per acre on April 18, 
which was unusually early. The high rate of planting resulted in 
a good stand, but unsettled weather, accompanied by sudden changes 
of temperature, caused a very noticeable amount of leaf-cut.^ 

Although somewhat later than desirable, it was possible to thin 
the single-stalk rows in a fairly satisfactory manner; but the yields 
from these could not be expected to vary much from those of the 
old-method rows, because the latter were thinned unusually late, 
accomplishing some suppression of vegetative branches, and the 
plants were left about as near together as those in the single-stalk 
rows. 

1 See Cook, O. F. Leaf-cut, or tomosis, a disorder of cotton seedlings. In U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant 
Indus. Cir. 120, p. 29-34, 1 fig. 1913. 



18 



BULLETTlSr 526, U. §. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



The early thinning was done on May 10 and the later thinning on 
June 5. When thinned, the plants in the old-method rows were 4 
to 6 inches high and had 4 to 6 leaves, while those in the single- 
stalk rows were 8 to 10 inches high and had 6 to 8 leaves. The old- 
method plants were spaced 8 to 12 inches apart and the single-stalk 
plants 6 to 8 inches apart. 

There were 20 rows in the experiment, 10 in which the systems 
of culture were compared in alternate rows, and 10 in which com- 
parison was made in 5-row blocks of adjoining rows. The yields 
from each of the two pickings made are reported in Table XII. 

Table XII. — Row yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton con- 
ducted in 1915 by J. E. Tanner, Texarkana, Ark. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. 


Total. 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Alternate rows: 

No 1 


8 
8 
7 
7 
7 

8 
8 
9 
8 
9 


8 
6 

8 
8 
8 

9 
9 
9 
9 

8 


3 

5 
3 

5 


4 
5 
3 
3 
2 

3 
2 
3 
3 
3 


11 
12 
11 
10 
11 

12 
12 
14 
11 
14 


12 


No. 2 


11 


No 3 


11 


No. 4 


11 


No. 5 


10 


5-row blocks: 

No. 6 


12 


No. 7 


11 


No. 8 


12 


No. 9 


12 


No. 10 


11 






Total 


79 


82 
3 
4 


39 
8 
26 


31 


118 
5 
4 


113 























Table XII shows an increase of 4 per cent in the total yield from 
the first picking for the old method, doubtless because of the lateness 
of thinning of the single-stalk rows. But as often happens in such 
cases there was a greater difference, 26 per cent, in favor of single- 
stalk culture for the second picking, making the total yield 4 per cent 
greater for this system. 

The Latta experiment. — ^Mr. W. B. Latta, of Texarkana, used 
Mebane cotton in two experiments on his farm. One of these was 
planted on April 25 and the other on May 10. He used about 30 
pounds of seed per acre and a good stand was secured on both fields. 
The thinning of the old-method rows was done at the usual time, 
May 10 and May 25, respectively, the plants being spaced 12 to 15 
inches apart. The single-stalk rows were thinned when the plants 
were 10 inches high and had 7 or 8 leaves. They were spaced about 
6 inches apart. 

When inspected late in August, these experiments promised to be 
very favorable to single-stalk culture, as about 25 per cent more bolls 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 19 

were found on these rows thanontheold-methodrows. Unfortunately, 
however, Mi*. Latta failed to report the yields in detail, merely stating 
that, in the total yield of two pickings, single-stalk culture exceeded 
the old-system by an average of 1^ pounds per row, or 11 per cent. 

North Carolina. 

Nine experiments were conducted in North Carolina, These were 
divided among four counties, namely, Edgecombe, Duplin, Sampson, 
and Craven. Wliile it was possible in all cases to plant cotton at 
about the usual time, the weather immediately following was unfavor- 
able to normal growth, being wet and cold. Consequently some poor 
stands were obtained, and in certain instances considerable difficulty 
was encountered in getting the single-stalk rows thinned in proper 
time. 

EDGECOMBE COUNTY. 

There were tliree experiments in Edgecombe County, one each at 
Whitakers, Battleboro, and Conetoe, all being located on soil classed 
as Norfolk sandy loam. The cotton was grown in rows 3 to 4 feet 
apart, planted flat; that is, not in beds. A rather heavy rate of 
seeding was used in all cases and good stands were secured. It was 
impossible for the writer or any of his associates to inspect these exper- 
iments in time to direct the thinning of thesingle-stalk rows, so Mr. 
Zeno Moore, county agent, directed it on the basis of his understand- 
ing of the new system. 

The Benson experiment. — Mr. W. K. Benson, of Battleboro, planted 
Ricks, a short-limbed variety of cotton, on April 22, using one bushel 
of seed per acre, and a good stand was obtained. The old-method 
rows were thinned on May 22, the plants being 2 to 3 inches high and 
having 2 to 4 leaves. The single-stalk rows were thinned on June 
24, when the plants were 8 to 10 inches high and had 10 to 12 leaves. 
The plants in the old-method rows were spaced about 14 inches 
apart, while those in the single-stalk rows were spaced 6 to 8 inches 
apart. 

In submitting the above data, Mr. Moore reported that the rows 
were not thinned with "perfect regularity." When visited by the 
writer in August, it appeared that the plants in the single-stalk rows 
were left too tliick, there being, in the majority of cases, 2 to 3 plants 
in a hill. The suppression of vegetative branches had been accom- 
plished and probably to some extent that of the fruiting branches as 
well. This may account for the greater yield obtained on the old- 
system rows at the first picking, as shown in Table XIII. 

Table XIII shows that a greater yield, of 22 per cent, was obtained 
from the old-system rows at the -first picking, but a greater yield, of 
353 per cent, was obtained from the single-stalk rows at the second 
picking, making the total yield favor single-stalk culture by 20 per 



20 



BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



cent. The greater yield of the old-method rows at the first picking 
is in itseK an evidence of the fact that the thinning of the single-stalk 
rows was too late to give the best results, but, as not infrequently 
happens, the loss was more than made good by the increased yield of 
the single-stalk rows at the second picking. 

Table XIII. — Row yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment tvith cotton 
conducted in 1915 by W. K. Benson, Battleboro, N. C. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. 


Total. 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No. 1 


51 
51 

58 
63 
53 
58 
64 
60 
59 
57 


49 
65 
62 
71 
63 
72 
80 
72 
78 
74 


35 
34 
38 
43 
40 
37 
35 
32 
32 
27 


24 
14 
9 
8 
11 
7 
5 


86 
85 
96 
96 
93 
95 
99 
92 
91 
84 


73 


No.2 


79 


No.3 


71 


No. 4 


79 


No. 5 


74 


No 6 


79 


No. 7 


85 


No.8 


72 


No. 9 




78 


No. 10 




74 








Total 


564 


686 
122 
22 


353 
275 
353 


78 


917 
153 
20 


764 























The Draughon experiment. — Mr. L. L. Draughon, of Whitakers, used 
Cleveland Big Boll cotton in his experiment, there being 28 rows in 
all. The two systems of culture were compared in alternate rows. 
Thinning was completed in a fairly satisfactory manner, though a 
little later than was advisable for single-stalk culture. 

Mr. Draughon reports that it was impossible to get pickers in time 
for the first picking and consequently the cotton remained unpicked 
until late in November. Undoubtedly much cotton was lost mean- 
time, particularly from the single-stalk rows. Only total yields were 
reported, and these were 1,074 pounds for single-stalk culture and 
1,004 for the old method, a difference of 70 pounds, or 7 per cent, 
in favor of single-stalk culture. 

The Felton experiment. — Mr. W. R. Felton, of Conetoe, chopped the 
single-stalk rows of his experiment in such a manner as to leave the 
plants standing in bunches, which, however, probably suppressed the 
development of vegetative branches in much the same manner as 
single-stalk culture. He reported the yields which are given in Table 
XIV. Only one picking was made, on November 2, probably after 
some cotton had fallen from the bolls. 

Table XIV shows that in all but 4 of the 14 instances, single-stalk 
rows yielded more cotton than old-system rows, giving an 8 per cent 
increase for the new method. In reporting the above yields Mr. 
Felton stated: "I am satisfied that the thick rows would have made 
a better showing had they been properly thinned." 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 



21 



Table XIV. — Row yields of the first picking obtained in a single-stalk culture experi- 
vient with cotton conducted in 1915 by W. R. Felton, Conetoe, N. C. 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No. 1 


52 
40 
40 
44 
44 
42 
38 
38 
38 


30 
36 
46 
44 
40 
36 
40 
36 
36 


No. 10 


42 
44 
42 
38 
40 


38 


No. 2 


No. 11 




No. 3 


No. 12 


38 


No. 4 


No. 13 




No. 5 


'No. 14 




No. 6 


Total .. 




No. 7 


582 
42 
8 




No.8 


Difference 




No. 9 


Increase per cent . . 









SAMPSON COUNTY. 



Tliree experiments were conducted in Sampson County, all in the 
immediate vicinity of Ingold, on sandy-loam soil. The writer directed 
the thinning of the single-stalk rows in the latter part of June, when 
it was found that had thinning been done a week or 10 days earlier 
it would have been far more favorable. Still, fairly satisfactory 
comparisons of the new with the old system of culture were possible. 

The Sloan experiment. — Mr. H. D. Sloan planted Prolific cotton, 
of the King type, on April 20, and a good stand was secured in spite 
of unfavorable weather. The old-method rows were thinned on May 
25 and the smgle-stalk rows not until June 28. The plants in the 
former rows were 3 to 4 inches high with 3 to 5 leaves, and they were 
spaced 18 inches apart. In the latter rows the plants were 8 to 10 
inches high with 6 to 10 leaves, and they were spaced 6 to 8 inches 
apart. 

There were 30 rows in the experiment, 20 in which the systems of 
culture were compared in alternate rows and 10 in which com- 
parison was made in adjoining blocks of 5 rows each. Only one 
picking was made. The yields reported by Mr. Sloan are given in 
Table XV. 

Table XV. — Row yields of the first picking obtained in a single-stalk culture experi- 
ment with cotton conducted in 1915 by H. D. Sloan, Ingold, N. C. 



Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Alternate rows: 

No.l 


46 
44 
44 
45 
47 
46 
48 
47 
48 
46 


41 
38 
36 
42 
38 
36 
39 
42 
38 
40 


Adjoining blocks: 

No. 11 


48 
49 
48 
46 

47 


37 


No.2 


No. 12 . . 


41 


No.3 


No 13 


39 


No. 4 


No. 14 . 


37 


No. 5 


No 15 


38 


No 6 


Total 




No. 7 


699 
117 
20 


582 


No.8 


Difference 




No. 9 


Increase per cent. . 




No. 10 









22 



BULLETIN 526^ U. S. DEPARTMEISTT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



Table XV shows that in each of, the 15 instances single-stalk 
cultui"e gave a greater yield than the old system, the total increase 
being 117 pounds, or 20 per cent. 

TTie Wright experiment. — ^Mr. W. I. Wright planted one-half bushel 
of Simpkins cotton per acre on April 20. Owing to unfavorable 
weather, only a poor stand was obtained, and later the stand was 
further reduced by aphids, causing much leaf-curl. There were several 
short reaches in each row, however, where it was possible to apply 
single-stalk culture. It was believed that these places would affect 
the total yield of the rows to a degree which would indicate what 
might have been expected had it been possible to apply the method 
the full length of the rows. 

The old-method rows were thinned on May 25, when the plants were 
3 to 5 mches high and had 3 to 5 leaves. It was possible to space the 
plants in these rows about 18 inches apart with fair regularity. In 
the single-stalk rows, which were thinned on June 25, when the plants 
were about 10 inches high and had 6 to 8 leaves, the plants were 
spaced about 8 inches apart wherever the stand permitted. 

There were 16 rows in the experiment, each 408 yards long. In 10 
of these, comparisons were made in alternate rows; in the 6 remain- 
ing rows the comparison was made in adjoining blocks of 3 rows each. 
Two pickings were made. The yields obtained, as reported by Mr. 
Wright, are given in Table XVI. 

Table XVI. — Roiv yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton con- 
ducted in 1915 hy W. I. Wright, Ingold, N. C. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. Total. 

1 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
Stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Alternate rows: 

No. 1 


211 
177 
177 
154 
179 

209 
193 
197 


191 
158 
153 
116 
137 

187 
184 

188 


39 
43 
45 
48 
43 

34 
37 
35 


37 
44 
51 
50 
32 

37 
41 
33 


250 
220 
222 
202 
222 

243 
230 
232 


231 


No. 2 


202 


No. 3 


204 


No. 4 


196 


No. 5 


169 


Adjoining; blocks: 

No.6 


224 


No. 7 


225 


No. 8 


221 






Total 

DifEerence 


1,497 

150 

11 


1,347 


324 


325 

1 

0.3 


1,821 

H9 

9 


1,672 


Increase per cent. . 















Table XVI shows that in each of the eight instances single-stalk 
culture yielded more cotton at the first picking, the total difference 
being 150 pounds, or 11 per cent. At the second picking the old 
method had a very slight, quite negligible, advantage. In total 
yield the single-stalk rows had an advantage of 9 per cent. The 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 



23 



increase in yield probably would have been greater had the stanp 
been such as to allow the application of single-stalk cidture through- 
out the entire length of the rows. 

The Green experiment. — ^Mr. L. F. Green obtained a very poor stand 
in his field of Cleveland Big Boll cotton and it was possible to apply 
single-stalk culture to only a few places in each of the rows reserved 
for this method. Owing to the fact that the land had been heavily 
fertilized the plants grew very rank, and when the parts of the rows 
to which single-stalk culture was applied were thinned the plants had 
attained a point in their development a little beyond that at which 
they might have been thinned to the best advantage. The data per- 
taining to the time of thimiing, the condition of the plants at thin- 
ning time, and the spacing are the same as those reported for Mr. 
Wright's experiment except that the plants were a little taller and 
had 2 or 3 more leaves. 

The yields from the only picking made, as reported by Mr. Green, 
are given in Table XVII. 

Table XVII. — Row yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton con- 
ducted in 1915 by L. F. Green, Ingold, N. C. 



Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Single 
stalii. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No. 1 


80 
80 

75 
76 
82 
83 
70 
77. 


71 
80 
68 
78 
75 
80 
75 
65 


No. 9 


75 
75 

77 


65 


No. 2 


No. 10 


65 


No.3 


No. 11 


60 


No 4 


Total 




No. 5 


850 

68 

9 


782 


No.6 






No. 7 


Increase per cent . . 




No. 8 









Table XVII shows a total increase for single-stalk culture of 9 per 
cent, which probably would have been gi'eater had the stand been 
such as to permit the application of single-stalk culture to the entire 
length instead of to only a few parts of each row. 



DUPLIN COUNTY. 



The Sanderson experiment. — The experiment conducted by Mr. 
L. M. Sanderson, at Warsaw, was the only one in Duplin Cour.ty. 
He planted Cleveland Big BoU cotton on April 25 at the rate of 3 
pecks per acre, and a fair stand was obtained in spite of unfavorable 
weather. Mr. G. S. Meloy, of the Bm'eau of Plant Industry, directed 
the thinning of the single-stalk rows and reported that it was com- 
pleted in good time. The old-method rows were thinned on June 6, 
when the plants were 3 to 4 inches high and had 3 to 4 leaves. The 
single-stalk rows were thinned on June 17, when the plants were 8 



24 



BULLETIN' 526, U, S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTTJRE. 



to 10 inclies high, and had 6 to 7 leaves. The plants in the former 
rows were spaced 15 to 18 inches apart, those in the latter 4 to 6 
inches. 

There were 20 rows in the experiment, and the two systems of 
culture were compared in pairs of rows — that is, two single-stalk 
rows alternated with two old-system rows, making 5 pairs of rows 
for each system. Only one picking was made, and this was delayed 
imtil late in November, at which time, it was reported, all the bolls 
were open. Whether much cotton had fallen to the ground mean- 
time can not be stated; but it is safe to assume that some had fallen, 
especially from single-stalk rows, which probably were earher than 
the others. The row yields, as reported by Mr. Sanderson, are given 
in Table XVIII. 



Table XVIII. — Roiu yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton 
conducted in 1915 by L. M. Sanderson, Warsaw, N. C. 



How. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No.l 

No 2 


91 
69 

87 
74 
68 
68 
73 


84 
76 
58 
72 
83 
52 
66 


No.8 


95 
89 
51 


74 


No. 9 


85 


No 3 


No. 10 


72 




Total 




No 5 


765 
43 
6 


722 


No 6 


Difference 




No 7 


Increase per cent. . 









Table XVIII shows that in 7 of the 10 instances single-stalk cul- 
tiu-e yielded more than the old method, the differences varying from 
2 to 21 pounds per row. In the remaining three instances the old 
method gave greater yields, varjdng from 7 to 21 pounds per row. 
The total yield favored single-stalk culture by 43 pounds, or 6 per 
cent. 

CRAVEN COUNTY. 

Two experiments were conducted in Craven County — one by J. L. 
Roper, at Riverdale, and another by B. C. Peterson, at Vanceboro. 

The Roper experiment. — ^Mr. W. M. Laughinghouse, superintendent 
of the Rockwell Farm of J. L. Roper, at Riverdale, planted cotton on 
May 11 in rows 4 feet apart on flat land, using 1 bushel of seed per 
acre. A good stand was secured, but dry and cold weather during 
May and early June checked growth materially. No definite infor- 
mation concerning the dates of thinning and the condition of the 
plants when thinned is available, but the plants in the old-method 
rows were spaced at 20 inches in the row as compared with 2 to 6 in 
the single-stalk rows. The thinning was done by Mr. Laughinghouse 
as su^ested by Mr. J. W. Sears, county agent. It was not practi- 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 



25 



cable for the writer or any of his associates to inspect this experi- 
ment at any time during the season. 

There were 18 rows in the experiment, and the two systems of 
culture were compared in alternate rows. Three pickings were made, 
and the row yields for each picking as reported by Mr. Laughinghouse 
are given in Table XIX. 

Table XIX. — Roiv yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton 
conducted in 1915 by Supt. W. M. Laughinghouse on the Rockwell Farm of J. L. 
Roper at Riverdale, N. C. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Row. 


First picking. 


Second picking. 


Third picking. 


Total. 




Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


No.l 


63 
66 
71 
82 
73 
74 
81 
59 
51 


48 
45 
51 
71 
68 
60 
59 
58 
50 


58 
53 
42 
43 
47 
43 
18 
31 
27 


55 
41 
33 
24 
25 
32 
27 
21 
16 


5 
4 
6 
6 
7 
6 
6 
4 
3 


7 
3 
3 
2 
3 
5 
2 
6 
2 


126 
123 
119 
131 
127 
123 
105 
94 
81 


110 


No 2 


89 


No. 3 


87 


No. 4 


97 


No.5 


96 


No.6 


97 


No. 7 


88 


No. 8 


85 


No. 9 


68 






Total 


620 
110 
22 


510 


362 
88 
32 


274 


47 
14 
42 


33 


1,029 
212 
26 


817 






Increase per cent. . 



















Table XIX shows that single-stalk culture yielded more than the 
old method in every instance but three, namely, the second picking 
of row 7 and the third picking of rows 1 and 8. Single-stalk culture 
yielded 110 pounds, or 22 per cent, more at the first picking; 88 
pounds, or 32 per cent, more at the second picking; and 14 pounds, 
or 42 per cent, more at the third picking, making a difference in total 
yield of 212 pounds, or 26 per cent. 

The Peterson experiment. — Mr. B. C. Peterson, of Vanceboro, 
planted King cotton on April 23. The soil used was sandy loam and 
the cotton was planted on low beds in rows 4 feet apart, about one- 
half bushel of seed per acre being the rate used. The seed germinated 
fairly well, but wet and cold weather following injured the stand, 
leaving several skips in each row. WMle these skips were not 
serious in the old-method rows, in the single-stalk rows they prevented 
a satisfactory test of this system. The fact that it was possible to 
apply single-stalk culture to parts of the rows, however, makes it 
possible to gain from the yields reported an idea of what might have 
been expected had it been possible to apply the system to the entire 
length of the rows. 

There were 20 rows in the experiment, and the two systems of 
culture were compared in alternate rows. The old-method rows 
were thinned on May 23, when the plants, which were 4 to 6 inches 



26 



BULLETIN 526, tJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



high and had 4 to 6 leaves, were spaced 16 inches apart. The single- 
stalk rows were thinned on June 24," when the plants, 8 to 10 inches 
high with 10 to 12 leaves, were spaced 6 to 8 inches apart. 

Only one picking was made. The yield of each row as reported by 
Mr. Peterson is given in Table XX. 



Table XX.- 



-Roio yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton 
conducted in 1915 by B. C. Peterson, Vanceboro, N. C. 



Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Row. 


Yield of seed cotton 
(pounds). 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 
method. 


Single 
stalk. 


Old 

method. 


No. 1 


57 
62 
60 
56 
69 
66 
64 


66 
57 
56 
61 
62 
69 
59 


No.8 


69 
76 
70 


68 


No. 2 


No. 9 


70 


No. 3 


No. 10 


63 


No 4 


Total 




No. 5 


649 
18 
3 


631 


No. 6 


Difference 




No. 7 


Increase per cent- . 











Table XX shows that in 7 of the 10 instances single-stalk rows 
yielded more than the old-method rows. The difference in total 
yield, however, due largely to a poor stand, was only 18 pounds, 
or 3 per cent, in favor of single-stalk culture. 

Tabular Summary. 

The yields of seed cotton obtained from the 21 experiments dis- 
cussed in the preceding pages are summarized in Table XXI. 

Table XXI. — Summary of yields obtained in 21 single-stalk culture experiments with 
cotton conducted in 1915 in 9 parishes and counties in Louisiana, Arkansas, and North 
Carolina. 





Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 


Picking and method. 


Louisiana. 


Arkansas. 


North Carolina. 












































V. 


>. 








fi 


fl 


• 










g 








l§ 




d 




a) 


3 

o 




a 
o 
W 


1 


3 
>-> 


3 

S 
^ 

"^ 


o 

-3 




g 
< 




03 



o 

1 


I 


a 
o 

% 


i 




SI'S 


P. 
o 


1 


First picking: 


































1 






Single stalk 


505 226 


287 227 


193'336 


645 123 


99 


115 


79 




5641,074 


oS2 


6991,497 


850 765 


620 


649 


Old method 


380 177 


207:206 


229 33S 


780 112 


96 


90 


82 




6861,004 


540 


582,1,347 


782 722 


510 


631 


Second picking: 




















1 
















350 211 


Il4fl 


295195 
262 160 






100 
120 


... 


39 
31 




353 

78 








324 
325 




362 
274 






300i7Si 'm() 














Third picking: 




























16^1 






























47 








134 






























33 




Total: 




















1 








1 




Single stalk 


855 606'2S7'376 


48S 531 


645123ll99'115!ll8 




917 1,0741582 


6991,821 


S50 765 


1,029 


649 


Old method 


680;4S9,207,346 


491 498 


7S0 112i216l 90,113 




764 1,004 


540 


582 1, 672 


782 722 


81V 


631 


Increase (percent): 






























Gain or loss (— ) 


















1 












for single stalk... 


26 


24 


39 9 


-0.6 7 


-17 10 


-S 2S 


4 


11 


20j 7 


S 


20 9 


9 ,6 


2b 


3 



1 Actual yields not reported. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 27 

In six of the nine experiments conducted in Louisiana the total 
yield of seed cotton favored single-stalk culture by 9 to 39 per cent. 
In the other tliree experiments the total yield favored the old method 
by 0.6, 8, and 17 per cent, respectively. In the latter instance only 
one picking was made, and this so late that it is feared some cotton 
was lost, particularly from the single-stalk rows, which probably 
opened earlier than the others; also the reports of this experiment 
are so defective as to throw some doubt upon their record value. 
In the second instance the experiment was not inspected by the writer 
and only the yield records are available, so that it can not be stated 
with assm'ance that single-stalk culture was properly appUed. In 
the first instance the stand was so poor that the new system could 
not be appUed to good advantage, and it appears, moreover, that 
the first picking was made too late to secure the full yield. More, 
than one picking was made from six of these experiments. In four 
of the six instances single-stalk culture yielded 3 to 32.9 per cent 
more seed cotton at the fii'st picking. The yields from the other 
two experiments were influenced by thinning that was too late and 
by a poor stand, respectively. In five of six instances single-stalk 
cultm'e yielded 6 to 22 per cent more at the second picking. A 
third picldng was made in only one instance, and this favored single- 
stalk culture by 26.1 per cent. 

There were throe experiments in Arkansas, and in total yield these 
favored single-stalk culture by 4, 11, and 28 per cent, respectively. 
In one instance, where thinning was done a little too late, the old 
method yielded 4 per cent more seed cotton at the first picking, but 
this was offset by a 26 per cent increase for single-stalk culture at the 
second picking. 

In all of the nine experiments in North Carolina, single-stalk cidture 
gave greater total yields than tlie older methods, the differences 
varying from 3 to 26 per cent. In one instance, where the time of 
thinning was too late, the old method gave 22 per cent more seed 
cotton at the first picking, but this was offset by a 353 per cent in- 
crease for single-stalk culture at the second picking. In another in- 
stance; where three pickings were made, single-stalk culture yielded 
more seed cotton at each picking than the old method, the difference 
for each picking being 22, 32, and 42 per cent, respectively. 

YIELD AND QUALITY OF LINT. 

Having seen the effectiveness of single-stalk culture in increasing 
the yield of seed cotton over that of the usual systems of culture, it is 
of importance to know whether the lint was affected by the new 
system. It might be expected that the suppression of vegetative 
branches and the closer spacing of the resultant smaller plants would 
so affect the yield or quality of lint as largely to offset the advantage 



28 



BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



gained through increased yield of seed cotton. This condition does 
not exist, however, as shown by the results of determinations made in 
connection with the present experiments and those previously 
reported. 

LINT PERCENTAGES. 

Table XXII gives the per cent of lint as determined in samples of 
seed cotton sent in by five farmers from their respective experiments. 
Reference to Table I, page 4, will show the locations of these 
farmers, which fairly represent the general distribution of the experi- 
ments. One is in south-central Louisiana, one in northeastern 
Louisiana, one in southwestern Arkansas near the Arkansas- 
Louisiana line, and two are in North Carolina. The varieties used in 
these experiments were, respectively, Half-and-Half, Sugar Loaf, 
Triumph, Prolific (probably King) , and Cleveland Big Boll. 

Table XXII. — Percentage of lint in samples of seed cotton taken in Jive single-stalk 
culture experiments with cotton conducted in 1915 in Louisiana, Arkansas, and North 
Carolina. 



Sample. 


R. K. 

Boney. 


John 
Hebert. 


J. E. 
Tanner. 


H. D. 

Sloan. 


L. M. San- 
derson. 


Old method: 

No. 1 


35 
37 
35 
36 
38 

39 
37 
36 
37 
32 


35 
34 
33 
33 
34 

34 
33 
33 
33 
33 


36 
34 
33 
36 
33 

33 
34 
35 
32 
34 


37 
35 
36 
35 
35 

35 
35 
38 
39 
37 


36 


No. 2 


37 


No. 3 


37 


No. 4 


39 


No. 5 


37 


Single stalk: 

No 1 


36 


No. 2 


37 


No 3 


35 


No. 4 


37 


No. 5 


37 






Average: 

Old method 


36.2 
36.2 


33.8 
33.2 


34.4 
33.6 


35.6 
36.8 


37.2 




36.4 







Table XXII shows practically no difference in the average percent- 
age of lint obtained under the different systems of culture. The 
difference is remarkably small in view of the great differences in per- 
centage among the individual samples from some of the experiments. 
The greatest difference in average percentage of lint is 1.2, and this 
favors single-stalk culture. In three other instances the differences 
range from 0.6 to 0.8 per cent in favor of the old method. In the 
remaining instance the average percentages are identical. 

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF LINT. 

The percentage of lint in itself is no more a safe basis for compar- 
ing the effect of different cultural methods than it is for judging the 
relative value of varieties.^ The percentage of lint would vary 

1 Cook, O. F. Danger in judging cotton varietiea by lint percentages. U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant 
Indus. Cir. 11, 16 p. 1908. 

Meloy, G. S. Lint percentages and lint index of cotton and methods of determination. U. S. Dept. 
of Agr. Bui. 644, 12 p., 2 fig. 1918. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 



29 



materially with the size of the seed if the abundance of lint on the 
surface of the seed remained constant. Conversely, if the abundance 
of lint were not constant, the lint percentages might appear uniform 
even though the size of seed varied considerably. Thus it is desir- 
able to know whether the size of seed and the amount of lint per seed 
were affected by single-stalk culture. The weight in grams of 100 
seeds taken from each of the samples discussed in connection with 
Table XXII is shown in Table XXIII, together with the lint indexes, 
or the grams of lint on 100 seeds, of the same samples. 

Table XXIII. — Weights of 100 seeds and lint indexes (grains of lint on 100 seeds) of 
five different varieties of cotton as determined from samples of seed cotton grown in 
five single-stalk culture experiments with cotton conducted in Louisiana, Arkansas, 
and North Carolina. 





Weight of 100 seeds (grams). 


Lint indexea= weight of lint on 100 seeds 

(grams). 


Sample. 


R.K. 
Boney. 


John 
He- 
bert. 


J. E. 
Tan- 
ner. 


H. D. 
Sloan. 


L. M. 

San- 
derson. 


R.K. 
Boney. 


John 
He- 
bert. 


J. E. 
Tan- 
ner. 


H. D. 

Sloan. 


L. M. 

San- 
derson. 


Old method: 

No. 1 


9.1 
9.7 
9.4 
10.2 
9.6 

9.5 
8.9 
9.9 
9.5 
10.6 


9.7 
9.8 
9.7 
9.7 
8.9 

10.2 
9.9 
9.4 
9.8 
9.0 


12.0 
13.1 
12.8 
12.6 
13.5 

12.7 
11.9 
11.2 
12.6 
12.2 


9.7 
9.4 
10.2 
10.6 
10.3 

10.3 
9.6 
9.8 
11.1 
10.1 


12.4 
11.2 
11.8 
11.7 
12.6 

11.8 
11.8 
11.7 
11.2 
10.2 


4.9 
5.7 
5.1 
5.7 
5.9 

6.1 
5.2 
5.6 
5.6 
5.0 


5.2 
5.1 
4.8 
4.8 
4.6 

5.3 
4.9 
4.6 
4.8 
4.4 


6.8 
6.8 
6.3 
7.1 
6.6 

6.3 
6.2 
6.0 
6.0 
6.3 


5.7 
5.1 
5.7 
5.7 
5.5 

5.5 
5.2 
6.0 
7.1 
5.9 


7.0 
6.6 
6.9 

7 5 


No. 2 


No. 3 


No. 4 


No.5 


7 4 


Single jtalk: 

No. 1 


6 7 


No. 2 


7 


No.3 


6 3 


No. 4 


6 6 


No.5 


6 






Average: 

Old method 

Single stalk 


9.60 

9.68 


9.56 
9.66 


12.80 
12.12 


10.04 
10.18 


11.94 
11.34 


5.46 
5.50 


4.90 
4.80 


6.72 
6.16 


5.54 
5.94 


7.08 
6.52 



It will be seen from Table XXIII that, while there was con- 
siderable variation in the weights of seed representing either of the 
systems of culture, the average weight of 100 seeds was about the 
same for each system. This fact, in addition to the fact that there 
was no significant difference in the percentage of lint, would indicate 
that the density of lint on the seeds was about the same under the 
different systems of culture. That is, we would expect to find 
that the weight of hnt per seed did not vary significantly. The 
figures in the second part of Table XXIII show that such was the 
case. The lint index, or the number of grams of lint on 100 seeds, 
is seen to vary only slightly and in direct proportion to the size of 
seed. 



GKADE AND LENGTH OF LINT. 



Samples of lint in each of the experiments discussed in connection 
with Tables XXII and XXIII were submitted to Mr. Fred Taylor, 
cotton technologist of the Bureau of Markets, for a report on the 
grade and length of the lint produced by the different systems of 
culture. Mr. Taylor's report is embodied in Table XXIV. 



30 



BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Table XXIV. — Grade and length of lint of five»different varieties of cotton grown under 
single-stalk and old-method systems of culture in 1915. 



Grower and system of culture. 



R. K. Boney: 

Old method. 

Single stalk . . 
John Hebert: 

Old method. 

Single stalk . . 
J. E. Tanner: 

Old method. 

Single stalk . . 
H. D. Sloan: 

Old method. 

Single stalk . . 
L. M. Sanderson: 

Old method. . 

Single stalk . . 



Grade. 



Strict Middling. 
do 



Good Middling. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 



Strict Low Middling 
do 



Strict Middling. 
Good Middling. 



Length 
of staple. 



Inches, 
s 
if 



Table XXIV shows that there was practically no difference in the 
lint from the different systems of culture. In three instances the 
length of lint was shghtly {-^ inch) greater for single-stalk culture, 
and in two instances the lengths were identical. In no instance did 
the lint from the old-method samples show any superiority in length 
or grade over that from the single-stalk samples. 

SUMMARY. 

Under an informal cooperative agreement with the Office of 
Extension Work in the South of the States Relations Service, 21 
experiments with single-stalk cotton culture were conducted in 1915 
in nine parishes and counties of three States, namely, Louisiana, 
Arkansas, and North Carohna. 

These experiments were located in ordinary fields of cotton, single- 
stalk culture usually being compared with older methods in alternate 
rows or in alternate blocks of 2, 3, or 4 rows. In one instance the two 
systems were compared on an acre basis. 

In all cases the old-method rows were thinned in the usual manner 
at the usual time, while the single-stalk rows were thinned later and 
the plants were left closer together than usual, as is required by this 
method. In all other respects the rows received identical treatment. 

All picking was done under the direction of either the farmer him- 
self or the county or parish agent directly interested and a record of 
the yields forwarded to Washington. 

There was no significant difference in the lint produced by the 
different systems of culture, the lint percentage, the size of the seed, 
the lint index (grams of lint on 100 seeds), and the grade and length 
of lint remaining about the same. 

Looking at aU of the experiments as a group it is seen that single- 
stalk culture gave greater total yields in 18 of the 21 instances; it 
gave greater yields at the first picking in 16 of the 21 instances; it 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE. 31 

gave greater yields at the second picking in 9 of 1 1 instances, and it 
gave greater yields in the only instances where third pickings were 
made. Wliile some of the differences are so small as to be insignifi- 
cant in themselves, there was a general increase throughout the 
entire series of experiments, in several instances by more than 20 per 
cent. 

EUminating, for the present, those experiments in which it is 
kno\\Ti that the thinning of the single-stalk rows was done too late, 
those in which the stands were generally poor and single-stalk culture 
was applied to only the short spaces in the rows where the stand per- 
mitted the apphcation of the new system, those in which there is no 
assurance that single-stalk culture was properly applied, and those of 
which -the reports are defective, there remain at least five experi- 
ments — three in Louisiana and two in North Carolina — that may be 
considered as fairl}'' reliable tests of single-stalk culture. The yields 
of seed cotton from these favored the new system by 20 to 39 per cent. 

It is not to be inferred that the particular treatment apphed in 
these experiments is the best development of the single-stalk method 
or that this method is to be recommended for general application in 
the States where the experiments were located. The suitabiUty of 
the new system for any region requires that the local conditions and 
the behavior of the plants be well understood. How to secure the 
greatest possible advantage from the control of the branching habits 
of the plants is a problem worthy of the attention of experimenters 
who are interested in improving cultural methods with cotton. 



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